This psalm seems to have been penned by David for
the use of the people of Israel, when they came up to Jerusalem to
worship at the three solemn feasts. It was in David's time that
Jerusalem was first chosen to be the city where God would record
his name. It being a new thing, this, among other means, was used
to bring the people to be in love with Jerusalem, as the holy city,
though it was but the other day in the hands of the Jebusites.
Observe, I. The joy with which they were to go up to Jerusalem,
ver. 1, 2. II. The great
esteem they were to have of Jerusalem, ver. 3-5. III. The great concern they were
to have for Jerusalem, and the prayers they were to put up for its
welfare, ver. 6-9. In
singing this psalm we must have an eye to the gospel church, which
is called the "Jerusalem that is from above."

The Pleasures of Public
Worship.

A song of degrees of David.

1 I was glad when they said unto me, Let us go
into the house of the Lord. 2
Our feet shall stand within thy gates, O Jerusalem. 3
Jerusalem is builded as a city that is compact together: 4
Whither the tribes go up, the tribes of the Lord, unto the testimony of Israel, to give
thanks unto the name of the Lord.
5 For there are set thrones of judgment, the thrones of the
house of David.

Here we have,

I. The pleasure which David and other pious
Israelites took in approaching to and attending upon God in public
ordinances, v. 1,
2.

1. The invitation to them was very welcome.
David was himself glad, and would have every Israelite to say that
he was glad, when he was called upon to go up to the
house of the Lord. Note, (1.) It is the will of God that we
should worship him in concert, that many should join together to
wait upon him in public ordinances. We ought to worship God in our
own houses, but that is not enough; we must go into the house of
the Lord, to pay our homage to him there, and not forsake
the assembling of ourselves together. (2.) We should not only
agree with one another, but excite and stir up one another, to go
to worship God in public. Let us go; not, "Do you go and
pray for us, and we will stay at home;" but, We will go
also, Zech. viii. 21.
Not, "Do you go before, and we will follow at our leisure;" or, "We
will go first, and you shall come after us;" but, "Let us go
together, for the honour of God and for our mutual edification and
encouragement." We ourselves are slow and backward, and others are
so too, and therefore we should thus quicken and sharpen one
another to that which is good, as iron sharpens iron. (3.) Those
that rejoice in God will rejoice in calls and opportunities to wait
upon him. David himself, though he had as little need of a spur to
his zeal in religious exercises as any, yet was so far from taking
it as an affront that he was glad of it as a kindness when he was
called upon to go up to the house of the Lord with
the meanest of his subjects. We should desire our Christian
friends, when they have any good work in hand, to call for us and
take us along with them.

2. The prospect of them was very pleasing.
They speak it with a holy triumph (v. 2): Our feet shall stand within
thy gates, O Jerusalem! Those that came out of the country,
when they found the journey tedious, comforted themselves with
this, that they should be in Jerusalem shortly, and that would make
amends for all the fatigues of their journey. We shall stand there
as servants; it is desirable to have a place in Jerusalem, though
it be among those that stand by (Zech. iii. 7), though it be the door keeper's
place, Ps. lxxxiv. 10. We
have now got a resting-place for the ark, and where it is there
will we be.

II. The praises of Jerusalem, as Ps. xlviii. 12.

1. It is the beautiful city, not only for
situation, but for building. It is built into a city, the
houses not scattered, but contiguous, and the streets fair and
spacious. It is built uniform, compact together, the houses
strengthening and supporting one another. Though the city was
divided into the higher and lower town, yet the Jebusites being
driven out, and it being entirely in the possession of God's
people, it is said to be compact together. It was a type of the
gospel-church, which is compact together in holy love and Christian
communion, so that it is all as one city.

2. It is the holy city, v. 4. It is the place where all Israel
meet one another: Thither the tribes go up, from all parts
of the country, as one man, under the character of the tribes of
the Lord, in obedience to his command. It is the place
appointed for their general rendezvous; and they come together,
(1.) To receive instruction from God; they come to the testimony
of Israel, to hear what God has to say to them and to consult
his oracle. (2.) To ascribe the glory to God, to give thanks to
the name of the Lord, which we have all reason to do,
especially those that have the testimony of Israel among them. If
God speak to us by his word, we have reason to answer him by our
thanksgivings. See on what errand we go to public worship, to
give thanks.

3. It is the royal city (v. 5): There are set thrones of
judgment. Therefore the people had reason to be in love with
Jerusalem, because justice was administered there by a man after
God's own heart. The civil interests of the people were as well
secured as their ecclesiastical concerns; and very happy they were
in their courts of judicature, which were erected in Jerusalem, as
with us in Westminster Hall. Observe, What a goodly sight it was to
see the testimony of Israel and the thrones of
judgment such near neighbours, and they are good neighbours,
which may greatly befriend one another. Let the testimony of Israel
direct the thrones of judgment, and the thrones of judgment protect
the testimony of Israel.

Prayer for the Church.

6 Pray for the peace of Jerusalem: they shall
prosper that love thee. 7 Peace be within thy walls,
and prosperity within thy palaces. 8 For my brethren
and companions' sakes, I will now say, Peace be within thee.
9 Because of the house of the Lord our God I will seek thy good.

Here, I. David calls upon others to which
well to Jerusalem, v. 6,
7. Pray for the peace of Jerusalem, for the
welfare of it, for all good to it, particularly for the uniting of
the inhabitants among themselves and their preservation from the
incursions of enemies. This we may truly desire, that in the peace
thereof we may have peace; and this we must earnestly pray for, for
it is the gift of God, and for it he will be enquired of. Those
that can do nothing else for the peace of Jerusalem can pray for
it, which is something more than showing their good-will; it is the
appointed way of fetching in mercy. The peace and welfare of the
gospel church, particularly in our land, is to be earnestly desired
and prayed for by every one of us. Now, 1. We are here encouraged
in our prayers for Jerusalem's peace: Those shall prosper that
love thee. We must pray for Jerusalem, not out of custom, nor
for fashion's sake, but out of a principle of love to God's
government of man and man's worship of God; and, in seeking the
public welfare, we seek our own, for so well does God love the
gates of Zion that he will love all those that do love them,
and therefore they cannot but prosper; at least their souls shall
prosper by the ordinances they so dearly love. 2. We are here
directed in our prayers for it and words are put into our mouths
(v. 7): Peace be
within thy walls. He teaches us to pray, (1.) For all the
inhabitants in general, all within the walls, from the least to the
greatest. Peace be in thy fortifications; let them never be
attacked, or, if they be, let them never be taken, but be an
effectual security to the city. (2.) For the princes and rulers
especially: Let prosperity be in the palaces of the
great men that sit at the helm and have the direction of public
affairs; for, if they prosper, it will be well for the public. The
poorer sort are apt to envy the prosperity of the palaces, but they
are here taught to pray for it.

II. He resolves that whatever others do he
will approve himself a faithful friend to Jerusalem, 1. In his
prayers: "I will now say, now I see the tribes so cheerfully
resorting hither to the testimony of Israel, and the matter
settled, that Jerusalem must be the place where God will record his
name, now I will say, Peace be within thee." He did not say,
"Let others pray for the public peace, the priests and the
prophets, whose business it is, and the people, that have nothing
else to do, and I will fight for it and rule for it." No; "I will
pray for it too." 2. In his endeavours, with which he will second
his prayers: "I will, to the utmost of my power, seek thy
good." Whatever lies within the sphere of our activity to do
for the public good we must do it, else we are not sincere in
praying for it. Now it might be said, No thanks to David to be so
solicitous for the welfare of Jerusalem; it was his own city, and
the interests of his family were lodged in it, and you can find
more about that here on
st-takla.org on other commentaries and
dictionary entries. This is true; yet he
professes that this was not the reason why he was in such care for
the welfare of Jerusalem, but it proceeded from the warm regard he
had, (1.) To the communion of saints: It is for my brethren and
companions' sakes, that is, for the sake of all true-hearted
Israelites, whom I look upon as my brethren (so he called them,
1 Chron. xxviii. 2) and who
have often been my companions in the worship of God, which has knit
my heart to them. (2.) To the ordinances of God: He had set his
affections to the house of his God (1 Chron. xxix. 3); he took a great pleasure
in public worship, and for that reason would pray for the good of
Jerusalem. Then our concern for the public welfare is right
when it is the effect of a sincere love to God's institutions and
his faithful worshippers.